My hiding Place

“You are my
hiding place

You always fill
my life with songs of deliverance

Whenever I am
afraid, I will trust in You

I will trust in
You

Let the weak
say I am strong, in the strength of the Lord”

I don’t recall who performed
this song originally or otherwise. And it really doesn’t matter. This is
however the song that has been on my lips and in my heart for most of today. I
wish I could say that I don’t really know why this has been, but that wouldn’t
be true so I won’t go there.  Truth is
that I find myself in one of those seasons where the vicissitudes of life are
doing their best to weigh me down. It’s been one of those seasons where you
must necessarily intentionally determine to keep your head up, despite the daunting
reality of ‘one new thing after the
other’. Thankfully, I decided and declared several years ago that ‘Superwoman is dead’.

‘Superwoman is dead’? What do I mean by that? I hear you sis. I
hear you and I will clarify.

Superwoman is dead because I
realized years ago that she got her power from within herself and that was not
sustainable. Superwoman had to die because she burnt out very quickly time and
again. Superwoman had to die because she was all about herself and what she could
do. Superwoman had to die because she was not connected to the right power
source, and she operated in her own strength. Superwoman had to die because
largely she was in a sense ‘performing’ for others in life. Superwoman had to
die because daily she was losing herself in a plethora of activity… in
purposeless busyness that had no eternal value.

Superwoman had to die so that
the Unique Woman within her could truly live!

And what is truly living? Sis,
it is the path of discovering God’s divine purpose for your life. It is growing
in Him, in His Word, His will and His way. It is communing with the Holy Spirit
and allowing Him order your steps. It is coming to the realization that you are
spirit, and your life must revolve around spiritual things. Truly living is an understanding
that your true power comes only from God Almighty, and that indeed it is in Him
that you must live and move and have your being. Truly living is trusting His
Word that nothing shall be impossible to you; that His plans for you are good
and not of evil; that He is with you and He will forever help and uphold you.

Living ….truly living is in
obedience – in moving only when He asks you to; it’s in keeping still when He
demands it of you; it’s in taking steps towards an end He speaks to you, even
when you cannot clearly see; it’s in that quiet calm assurance that He has gone
ahead and in Him you are assured of an eternal reward. Sis, truly living is
learning to abide in His presence…. to trust… to rest!

It is for these reasons that Superwoman
died and Uniquely Woman began to live. Because you see, Uniquely Woman….
Uniquely Me understands that at times like these, I can ‘own’ my feelings….they
are after all of my flesh; and in a worldly sense… they are my reality. But
more than anything else, Uniquely Me understands even more clearly that I can
anchor my spirit even more firmly on He Who assures me that He is mindful of
me. Uniquely Me understands that even in my storms, He is with me, that He
never leaves or forsakes me. Uniquely Me understands that I can re-purpose my
pain time and time again, and out of it grow stronger and better positioned to
be a blessing to someone else.

Uniquely Me understands that
even at times when I feel overwhelmed, burdened, sad, discouraged, that I can
look up to Calvary and wallow in a love that endured for me, that counted me
worthy in spite of my mess, that still counts me worthy. Uniquely Me
understands that all I have to do is run to the mercy seat and cast my cares at
the feet of Jesus. She understands that I can hide behind the cross and Jesus
Himself will carry me. Uniquely Me understands that even at times when I am not
happy, I can be and I am full of joy! Uniquely Me knows that I am special in
the eyes of my Father; that I am His beloved; that I am chosen; that I am
called; that I am anointed.

Uniquely Me knows that my
strength is of the Lord and not of myself. This is why even though I have my
own challenges now and again, I can look to the Lord and He infill’s me with an
unction that enables me to still do great things. Uniquely Me understands that
I am nothing without Jesus. Uniquely Me understands that Jesus is my assignment
and purpose. Uniquely Me understands that I am not under pressure to be
perfect; that my weakness is absolutely acceptable. Uniquely Me might have
struggles as I do in this season…. But Uniquely Me is never without a hope and
an assurance. She knows of a truth that God has got my back, that even now He
is turning things around for my good. Uniquely Me knows that God counts her as
valuable and precious, and so she is a fulfilled woman nevertheless –
challenges and all.

Sis, Uniquely Me is not lost
in the multiplicity of roles that Superwoman played. She is still wife, mother,
daughter, boss, etc etc yes….. but more than anything else, she is and always
will be Uniquely Me! Uniquely Me is not afraid to be weak and to show weakness.
She has no point to prove to anyone. All she is about is a knowing that her
Father walks with her, and then carries her when she is too weak to stand. Uniquely
Me knows who I am in the only way that counts – who I am in Christ! Uniquely Me
is unequivocally assured that I am a daughter of the most high God! This is my
hiding place!  

And you know what sis?
Uniquely Me currently has a smile on her face as she sings:   

Why so downcast
oh my soul?

Put your hope
in God (3x)

Oh, Why so
downcast oh my soul?

Put your hope
in God

And bless the
Lord, oh my soul

Bless the Lord

He is the
lifter of my countenance

Bless the Lord

He is the
lifter of my head

Bless the Lord

He is the
lifter of my countenance

I will never be
afraid….

Oh, Why so
downcast oh my soul?

Put your hope
in God

And bless the
Lord oh my soul!

Yes, I’m going to bed joyful
sis. I am! Tomorrow I will again look at my issues and allow God help me figure
out what to do. Tomorrow I will again listen out for His voice and follow His
instruction as best I can by the power of the Holy Spirit. And even if I don’t
hear anything specific from Him, I will simply REST in Him. He has done too
much for me in times past for me to doubt that even this one He will also sort
out. Am I happy? Nah! Not really. But Uniquely Me isn’t talking about happiness.
She understands that happiness is simply a matter of feelings. Nope! She’s
talking about JOY…. true joy which nothing and no one can ever take from me! I
choose Joy, sis! My joy is my Jesus and He is my hiding place! That is all that
matters. Superwoman never quite caught this, but Uniquely Me is daily finding
purposeful expression of her life in a way that counts for eternity.  How awesome is that?

I don’t know what is plaguing
you now sis, but please understand that you have the choice to hold on and
wallow in your feelings, or stand in the place of faith. You have the choice to
stand as Superwoman and try to see how you sort your problems out in your own
strength or by leaning on the strength of some other man or woman (the arm of
flesh that will SURELY fail you)…. or you can choose to hide behind the cross;
to give it all to Jesus in trust; and to operate in the Unique Spiritual You
that is at one with the Father! Can I encourage you to come to this side? Put
your hope in God, sis. No better way to ensure that rather than having life
work you, you make life work for you and for God’s glory. The Lord will help
you sis, as surely also as He continues to help me.

Be blessed sis….. for you
surely are!